Remember the kid who got set on fire on a bus in Oakland the other day?

[KamaAina]

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/1014641304

I just assumed it was yet another random act of violence in Oakland. Shame on me.

Turns out it was a hate crime against a trans kid.

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Teen-whose-skirt-was-set-ablaze-begins-surgery-4961732.php

An Oakland high schooler and gender-identity activist whose skirt was set ablaze on an AC Transit bus was scheduled to begin a series of surgeries Wednesday as Alameda County prosecutors weighed potential charges against a 16-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of assault.

Luke Fleischman, 18 - who goes by the name Sasha - suffered second- and third-degree burns in Monday's fire and will probably be hospitalized for two to three weeks, said Trevor Calle, the admissions director at Maybeck High School in Berkeley, where Fleischman is a senior....

Authorities have not discussed possible motives, but Fleischman's friends and neighbors fear the teenager may have been targeted for wearing a skirt.

Fleischman was born male but does not identify as male or female, instead preferring the term "genderqueer." The high schooler has espoused the legal recognition of "non-binary" gender, and launched an online petition hoping to draw President Obama's attention to the issue.

[joeybee12]

1. Stupid kid...only 16 and already a criminal...

Must come from a nice family. Hope Sasha comes out of this ok.

[polly7]

2. Always amazing how people can do such evil things.

I wish Sasha well ......... such serious burns and reconstructive grafts that can take months, even years ... are horribly painful to endure. So sad.

[RKP5637]

3. Crap like this is so sad. I swear, no matter who you are, how you look, there's someone

out there ready to do harm. Not that wasn't the case before, but now it seems so prevalent ... for many things.

[JNelson6563]

4. What is this? The middle ages??

Someone who is different from the majority gets set on fire? WTF?

Julie